Leopold's Ice Cream

In 1919, three brothers from Greece brought hand-crafted ice cream to Savannah, and the people of this charming city, and its visitors, remain faithful. At all hours of the day, long yet fast-moving lines fringe the street where iconic Leopold's stands. It has a '50s vibe, and the menu offers fountain classics, freshly baked pastries, and café items for those who wish to make a meal out of the experience.

   

    But the magic is in the ice cream, without a doubt. By the time I discovered what the flavors of the day were, John was already in line and out of sight while I saved our table, and I couldn't change my order from pistachio to the Dutch Utopia, chocolate ice cream with chocolate chips and orange candies. Or the Savannah Socialite, milk and chocolate ice cream with bourbon infused caramel and pecans. Now, don't those sound like a lot of time and love were put into creating them?
     My regret soon evaporated when I got the first taste of my pistachio. Not only was the flavor distinct and rich, but I didn't have to dig for the pistachios. They were everywhere, every spoonful covered in chewy nuttiness. John had classic chocolate, and once he started his gentle shoveling, he didn't come up for air until the cup was empty. I can safely assume he liked it.

   
     We did sample the Leopold's Club sandwich from their café menu. It had good ham, turkey, and bacon, but it wasn't any different than the sandwiches Mom made hastily to put in our lunchboxes. It didn't really matter. We weren't there for the sandwich, were we? It's all about the ice cream, and for good reason. Had we spent more time in Savannah, I know Leopold's would have been a daily stop in our gastronomic tour.

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McConnell's Fine Ice Creams

     Ever since our return from Italy four years ago, John and I have been in search of gelato made authentically outside of The Old Country. Our Quixotic quest may not have yielded great results as of yet, but the journey has had its enjoyable moments, McConnell's being one of them.
     McConnell's is on State Street in trendy downtown Santa Barbara, California. Founded in 1949, they have stores only in the West Coast at this time, but I'm crossing my fingers all the way from the other coast for speedy expansion.
     Their ice cream is made in small batches, with sustainable and organic ingredients provided by local farmers and artisans. This attention to detail results in finely crafted ice creams with bold yet balanced combinations of ingredients, well-defined flavors, and perfectly textured density.
     I counted 32 flavors on their list, and Olive Oil and Salted Almonds just screamed to be tasted. I figured whatever I felt about this combination would be a benchmark for all the others. When something has two flavors, my expectation is to be able to taste each flavor separately and for the mix to be harmonious. I asked for a sample, and that's exactly what I got. The almonds softened the olive oil's potentially overbearing presence, but it was certainly there.
Emboldened by the execution of this risky flavor, I ordered the Churros con Leche and the Salted Caramel Chip with hot fudge and salted chocolate covered nuts. I went too far. The salty elements were delectable, but they cast such a shadow over the Churros con Leche, I forgot it was in my cup until I was almost done. By then, it was too late to assess that layer of flavor. It still made it into my list of top ten favorite ice creams.
     John had the Dutchman's Milk Chocolate and the Sea Salt Cream and Cookies. He actually waited for a fresh batch of waffle cones to be ready so he could have his warm. He went into transcendental meditation mode when he ate his ice cream, so it's clear that he had no objections.
     There's a special place in our hearts for small scale merchants that take pride in providing quality products and services, a lost art in this the age of the conglomerate. McConnell's is such a place, and supporting these family businesses while enjoying their delicious offerings is how John and I like to help the economy.

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